Lifestyle News!

posted by Jay -
Jul 5, 2018

Most people go to parties to have fun, but when you know very few people at a gathering, things can get pretty awkward. Walking up to someone you don’t know to start a conversation is never easy, but standing in a corner twiddling your thumbs at a bash isn’t exactly a good time.

Well, Business Insider has shared some great ice breakers that may help you get through your next awkward gathering, and who knows, you may actually meet someone in the process.

Great party ice breakers include:

“Hello” – It may sound simple, but sometimes all you need is simple.

“I'll be honest, the only person I know here is the bartender, and I just met him two minutes ago. Mind if I introduce myself?” – Humor can be your friend.

“Hey guys, do you mind if I join you just to eavesdrop?”- But only use in a group of three or more.

“How did you hear about this party?” – A great conversation starter that will likely lead to a larger conversation

“Hmmm, I'm not quite sure what that dish is. Do you know?” - Food is always fun to talk about.

“This is my first time at this conference. Do you know anything about...?” – You may find another first timer who is also in need of someone to talk to.

“Are you from around here?” – Will allow both parties to talk about themselves.

“Have you started watching ...?” – Most people love to talk about their TV faves.

“Great shoes!” – Everyone loves a compliment.

“Did you all come here together, or did you meet here?” – A great way to break into a group conversation.

“I'm tired of talking to my friends — I see them all the time. What are you guys talking about?” – Hey they don’t know you really don’t know anyone.

If finding an hour to workout every day is totally unrealistic in your busy schedule, you’re far from alone. According to a new report from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, only 23% of Americans meet thefederal physical activity guidelines, so more than 75% of us have trouble finding time to exercise as much as we should be. So here are some easy and effective ways to get more fitness into our day-to-day routine from certified personal trainer and health coachKelly Morgan,Ph.D.

Try out Tabata- It’s a form of high-intensity interval training that has you do several rounds of super intense exercises in 20-seconds-on, 10-seconds-off intervals. Sound intense? It is, but when you’re short on time, it gets a lot accomplished in a hurry and you don’t need any special equipment to do it.

Make the plank your BFF - It doesn’t seem that hard at first glance, but once you try it, you know the truth: it really burns. Holding a plank gives your arms, shoulders, legs, and core a workout in a short amount of time.

Take the stairs whenever you have the option - Run up the steps, walk down and repeat as many times as you can for a heart-pounding workout in 15 minutes or less. You can get fancy and add some lunges as you ascend, if you dare.

Do some squats or lunges whenever, wherever — literally- All you need is your body and a lot of motivation and you can do squats or lunges anytime, like while you’re brushing your teeth, waiting for the coffee to brew, or talking on the phone.

Lots of us go for yet another cup of coffee when we hit our afternoon slump, but some folks are trading in their late-day latte for a nap instead. Napping studios, likeNapYork, are popping up across the country, offering weary workers snooze pods for a fee. And midday sleep can zap your drowsiness while boosting productivity, creativity, performance, memory, and mood. Ready to give it a try? This is how to nap like a pro without compromising nighttime sleep.

Aim for 90 minutes, tops - If you really just need a quick pick-me-up, a 15- to 30-minute nap will spike alertness, saysPhilip Gehrman, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. But if you’re feeling mentally blocked, a longer snooze can help you feel more refreshed, a 90-minute nap covers a full sleep cycle and can help you get your creative juices flowing. Just don’t hit snooze when the alarm goes off.

Skip your pre-nap workout - Wait until after you rest to hit the gym because exercise can stimulate the brain and make sleep more challenging.

Be consistent with your naps - Even if you only fit in weekend naps, try to rest at the same time every day. That way your body learns when to power down and you’ll fall asleep faster. Most of us feel most tired between two and four in the afternoon, so if you start dragging and yawning then, that’s your ideal nap time.

Make yourself as comfortable as possible - Get cozy in a comfy spot, like the couch, because it may be easier to wake up there than in their bed.

Don't push yourself to take a nap if you just can't -Even if you’re tired, not everyone is a napper. If you try to nap three times weekly for a month and can’t snooze, or wake up more tired or cranky, then it’s probably just not your thing.

Having to undergo surgery is pretty serious for most people, but apparently, the folks doing the surgery don’t necessarily feel the same way. It turns out, most surgeons are far from professional once they get into an operating room.

A new study from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, reveals the behavior of those in the operating room and it’s likely to have most people shocked. First off, while patients are going under the knife a lot of fighting is going on between surgeons and assistants, with researchers discovering that one in every 40 interactions between surgical staff is a fight or argument.

But that’s not all, the staff is also likely to be flirting, gossiping, dancing, making jokes about patients and even throwing things across the room. For example during one surgery, staff was basically playing basketball with garbage and a bin and then celebrating when it went in. In another instance, a doctor insulted a patient calling them “gigantic” and suggesting they’d need ten people to help move her.

As for why there are so many arguments, researcher Dr. Laura Jonessuggests it all comes down to status and “ego,” especially when it comes to high ranking male surgeons trying to prove they are the dominant figure in the operating room. In fact, main surgeons were responsible for 118 out of 175 arguments observed. What’s more, there seems to be fewer arguments when there are more women in the room.

Of course not everything was bad. The study found that 59% of interactions between medical staffers in the operating room were positive and cooperative.